Compiled by RYAN McDONOUGH with liner notes by JOSH KAY
- Villanova (22-3/12-1)
Points: 324. (12 first-place votes)
Previous ranking: 1.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Temple, Saturday vs. Butler.
The Wildcats leading scorers, Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono, each had two points in the first half versus St. John’s. Recipe for disaster right? Well, mix in some Daniel Ochefu (25/9) and your result may not taste too bad.
2. Kansas (21-4/9-3)
Points: 310. (one first-place vote)
Previous ranking: 6.
Upcoming: Monday vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday at Kansas State.
Kansas made a strong statement against Oklahoma: The Big 12 still runs through Lawrence.
3. North Carolina (21-4/10-2)
Points: 277.
Previous ranking: 7.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. No. 21 Duke, Saturday vs. No. 10 Miami.
Some home cookin’ always cures a broken heart and that’s exactly what the Tar Heels needed. Five players scored in double figures that included 26 assists on 34 made baskets in an 85-64 win against Pittsburgh.
4. Oklahoma (20-4/8-4)
Points: 274.
Previous ranking: 3.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Texas Tech, Saturday at No. 11 West Virginia.
The Sooners shot 10-for-33 from beyond the arc with a first half mark of 2-for-13. Too reliant on the 3? Only if you miss. Which Buddy Hield doesn’t do often (49.8 percent accuracy).
5. Iowa (20-5/11-2)
Points: 267.
Previous ranking: 4.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Penn State.
Iowa was outscored 28-0 in bench points in their loss to Indiana. Jarrod Uthoff can’t do it all, can he?
6. Maryland (22-4/10-3)
Points: 259.
Previous ranking: 2.
Upcoming: Thursday at Minnesota, Sunday vs. Michigan.
In Maryland’s home loss to Wisconsin, the Terps went on an 11-minute stretch without a field goal. Every team gets a mulligan right?
7. Xavier (22-3/10-3)
Points: 253.
Previous ranking: 5.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. No. 22 Providence, Saturday at Georgetown.
Xavier has not lost two in a row all season long, a streak that remained intact with a 17-point drubbing (74-57) of Butler.
8. Virginia (20-5/9-4)
Points: 235.
Previous ranking: 8.
Upcoming: Monday vs. NC State.
Grayson Allen kept the Cavaliers winless streak (since 1995) at Cameron intact.
9. Michigan State (21-5/8-5)
Points: 229.
Previous ranking: 9.
Upcoming: Thursday vs. Wisconsin.
Roses are red. Violets are blue. Denzel Valentine had a pretty good Sunday. (30/5/13) How about you? (Been saving that one all season!)
10. Miami (21-4/9-3)
Points: 219. Previous ranking: 12.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Virginia Tech, Saturday at No. 3 North Carolina.
The 5-11 Angel Rodriguez channeled his inner Tim Duncan and tipped in the game winner over three Pittsburgh Panthers Forwards to keep the ‘Canes ACC regular season title hopes alive.
11. West Virginia (20-5/9-3)
Points: 200.
Previous ranking: 10.
Upcoming: Tuesday at Texas, Saturday vs. No. 4 Oklahoma.
The Mountaineers scored a season high 26 points off 26 TCU turnovers.
12. Arizona (21-5/9-4)
Points: 179.
Previous ranking: 18.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Arizona State.
The Wildcats are the only team in the Pac-12 with a winning record in conference road games.
13. Dayton (21-3/11-1)
Points: 155. Previous ranking: 19.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Saint Joseph’s, Saturday vs. St. Bonaventure.
Dayton is 16-1 when Charles Cooke scores in double figures.
14. Kentucky (19-6/9-3)
Points: 145.
Previous ranking: 20.
Upcoming: Thursday vs. Tennessee, Saturday at No. 23 Texas A&M.
Maybe Cal needs to get thrown out of games more often. Tyler Ullis had a career high 27 points to go along with 12 helpers. UK also shot close to 50 percent from the field (31-64), and the Wildcats regained 1st place in the SEC.
15. Iowa State (18-7/7-5)
Points: 121.
Previous ranking: 15.
Upcoming: Tuesday at No. 25 Baylor, Saturday vs. TCU.
Pros of playing in the Big 12, lose one night and redeem yourself with a win against a ranked opponent the next. See Iowa State the last month.
16. SMU (21-3/9-3)
Points: 113.
Previous ranking: 13.
Upcoming: Thursday at UConn, Sunday vs. East Carolina.
The Mustangs are 1-0 when former Presidents are in attendance. Maybe George W. should make an appearance more often.
17. Oregon (20-6/9-4)
Points: 104.
Previous ranking: 11.
Upcoming: Saturday vs. Oregon State.
Ending with Oregon State on Wednesday, Oregon will have played 9 of 11 games against teams projected no lower than an 8 seed in the NCAA tournament. That excuses a mini two-game slide for the moment.
18. Louisville (19-6/8-4)
Points: 94.
Previous ranking: 16.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Syracuse, Saturday vs. No. 21 Duke.
The Cards have lost two of three since finding out they won’t be eligible for post season play. Next up, a Syracuse team winners of five in a row and eight of nine. Pitino and the boys better regain their form quickly.
19. Purdue (20-6/8-5)
Points: 77.
Previous ranking: 22.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Northwestern, Saturday at No. 24 Indiana.
Purdue almost blew their second 18-point lead against Michigan State on Tuesday, but the Boilermakers are quietly building their resume for a run in March.
20. Notre Dame (18-7/9-4)
Points: 74.
Previous ranking: unranked.
Upcoming: Saturday at Georgia Tech.
The Irish now have four wins against top 25 opponents and Demetrius Jackson is healthy. Don’t be surprised if we see Mike Brey’s bunch in the Sweet 16 again.
21. Duke (19-6/8-4)
Points: 66.
Previous ranking: unranked
Upcoming: Wednesday at No. 3 North Carolina, Saturday at No. 18. Louisville.
You knew Duke couldn’t remain out of the rankings for too long. All it took was two home wins versus ranked teams to right the ship. Next up, the big one: North Carolina in Chapel Hll.
22. Providence (19-7/7-6)
Points: 52.
Previous ranking: 17.
Upcoming: Wednesday at No. 7 Xavier.
Providence desperately needed a win against Georgetown to stop a three-game conference losing streak. They almost didn’t get it, blowing a 26-point lead. Ben Bentil made two free throws in the final seconds to preserve the victory.
23. Texas A&M (17-7/7-5)
Points: 46.
Previous ranking: 14.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Ole Miss, Saturday vs. No. 14 Kentucky.
Texas A&M has now lost four straight conference games.
24. Indiana (20-6/10-3)
Points: 35.
Previous ranking: 24.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Nebraska, Saturday vs. No. 19 Purdue.
A 19-point loss to Michigan State cannot overshadow the Hoosiers first win against a ranked opponent this season.
25. Baylor (18-7/7-5)
Points: 23.
Previous ranking: 23.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. No. 15 Iowa State, Saturday at Texas.
Baylor has lost three of four conference games heading into a huge game against Iowa State Tuesday night.
Also receiving votes:
Saint Joseph’s (17), South Carolina (14), Wichita State (11), Texas (8), UConn (6), Texas Tech (5), California (5), Wisconsin (3), Valparaiso (3), Colorado (3), Stony Brook (2), Temple (2), Cincinnati, Arkansas-Little Rock, USC, Utah
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